Popping of corn



Aug. 19, 1952 H. R. cRANK 2,607,283

POPPING OF CORN Filed March 8, 1948 4W' uw from/EK Patented ug. 19, l14952n "UNITED PATENT zBOBP-ING OFQBiN Y nHarold R.'Crank, Overland Park, Kans;

Application-March-, 1948,@SerialfNonlJll 25 Claims. A1

lTherpresent invention relates inv general to .the popping .of corn and it deals more `particularly with automatic -apparatus .for performing .the l`oppingoperation on la more-or rless continuous asis.

A:Broadly speaking, it is the. object ofthe inven- ,tionfto provide anirnproved `-automatic cornpopping machine I.which is comparatively simple yet durable in construction, ,whichiseconomical-to manufactureand operate, and which ,is veryecient k,and .troubleffree in operation.

Another object is ,to provide an automatic .maohineof ,thischaracter adapted -to `deliver fresh .uniformly pQpfped, -properly seasoned `corn at ,any desired Arate 'in order to .meet .varying demands; according to Yone feature .of the ,invention .the rate of .outputof themachinemay' be varied over a .Wide .range with no change whatever .in the uniformityof popping.

VAnother lobj ect of this invention is to .provide a machine wherein the raw'.kernelsareheate'din 'hot oil or a like material to induce lp ojgmingg::and .properly season .the product, .the kernels 'being removed 'from ,the seasoning material when popped, however, to `prevent uncluev soaking thereof.

An important feature of 'the invention resides in the meansprovided for automatically intro-v ucing raw corn into .the poping chamber at'the desired. rate; another featureresides in `the introduction of salt or the like'wth the corn.

rOther and,."further objects together with the novel features oficonstruction will appear'inthe course .of theifollowing description ofthe'invention.

In the accompanying drawings which Y'form a partof `the specification and :"areto v'be .read'in conjunction therewith, andin which like reference numerals `arefernployed Yto indicatel like lparts `of ,thevarious' views:

."Fg. `l is a Aplan `view of Ymy 'corn popping machine with 'parts "broken 'away for j purposes 'of illustration.

Fig..2 is a vertical cross lsection taken along .lines 2-2 ofv Figjlin the directionof the arrows.

,'Eig. 3 is a vertical cross bsection takensalong linesl3-3 ofllig..2..in,the directionofthe..arrows.

Fig'. .i4 =.is .a .developed Aview.schematically illus- .trating .tlfie-,prole .of the bottom-,of the popper, .a

pair 4of Ithe rcorn propelling `members also being v shown,l.and

Fig. .5 -is a :fragmentary elevational View of yone` of the lspring`v pawls ffor; actu-ating thefchargiingsmechanism of the pepper.

^ Referring vmore f particularlymo lthe drawings,

15 .passageway.thereofofiwhiehisarned 0r replied as/ majy bestbeen jinfliig. 12.. It will The .noted that .staggered lap ioints I4 are ,provided between the .upper andlowermembers, the :Joint :in theinner' wallbeing at av lower 'level than the one ,2o ,inthenuter wall.

Encircled by *the :chamber `tiust 'described land. jimmovably secured to pan l loygmeans of-radial arms l5 is la stationary central; post 16; this post carries ,the Weight of 'cover 'lf2 through-'the' medium ofjhub :18 and'radial armsll, thehubj-being supported onend'bearings 22gandbeingkeye'd to a vertical `shaft Il i"for rotation Jloya suitable 1source of power connected to the lower ,endet theshaft The inside of'theannularvchamberlis divided into agseres'of compartments `rby vertical par- `titionsl 2E #rigidly jafixed jto rcover 'l2 at uniform fcircumferentialintervals.v fThegpartition-s do not :reach the Afloor of the chamber #but leach Jhas lan lbottom of the pan as the coverslowly turns-about *its 'central pivot. The extension 2plates 'are loosely'secured tof-their respectivepartitionmem- 'bers'by screws 30? passing through `:theelongated `central slotf32-whereby'the yextensionsinlay move 40 'up and down lvto "accommodate Avthemselves {lto variations ini/the elevation of the ypanifloottem.

Each partition also has enf-inclined :gate-i3# 'fhinged to its drawerf'fmarfgin and adapted to Atrail hehindwthe partition asfthelatter-faklvancesmelai-tive ythe pan. Preferablyfthespace-intervalbeitweenfadj acentfpartitionsis such Lthat thell trailing edge offone 1:gate is only ia shortfdistance ,ahead .of 'the yvertical extension on the; nextjzparvtition as 'they 'travel Aarmi;,11d the pan bpwtto'rn. Members `2.8 `and ,34. contain aseries .o'f parallel .slots`3'6as showniniigsgz'and.,3.

`Referring -\t0 .F.g. 1 the coventurnsin ,a coun.- ter-clockwise idirection asy zindicated by `the ,ar-

...5 5 irows. @whereby the ,-fpartitions -travel zslleeessively extension -plate 28 adapted ftorlslide along -the past the points or stations identified by the letters A, B, C, etc. These points correspond respectively to the similarly lettered points or stations on the profile View in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the bottom of pan III slopes downwardly from A toB` and then is substantially level from t B to D; from D to E it slopes upwardly and then again remains substantially level from E back to -A- Y' Y l; Y l,

The depressed regionthrough whichthe partitions travel in moving from A to E forms a shallow basin or well in which the popping action takes place. Thisregion is heated by electrical resistance elements 38 cast into the bottom of the pan; the ends 36 of the elements are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l. i

AOil or other suitable liquid seasoning is introduced into the aforementioned well* through an aperture 46 which communicates with a small basin 42 on the outside of the pan II). The seasoning reaches the latter basin through pipe 43 from a reservoir, not shown, a float valve 44 being' provided at the lower end of the pipe to maintain the liquid at a. predetermined level in the basin. This keeps the bottom of the popping well from B to D 'covered with oil 'to a predetermined depth at all times.

' Raw pop corn introduced into the popping chamber at 46, as will be explained presently; is swept or pushed slowly ahead by the partitions 26 and their extension plates 28. Advancing along the heated bottom of the well, the kernels are covered' withvthe liquiduseasoning and brought Y rather quickly to popping4 temperature.

As the popping progresses the expanded kernels ll'more and'more of the space between adjacent partitions 26 and consequently ride up on the trailing gate 34. In other lwords the'raw kernels for the most part travel in the narrow gap between the trailing edge of a gate 34 and the forward face of the next following plate 28 as they are pushed along `the bottom of thewell by the latter; .upon popping they accumulate in the space above gate 34 which assistsin keeping the major proportion of the popped kernels above l to my machine is shown on the right hand side of Figs. 1 and 2. It comprises a rotary magazine 52 having large holes or pockets V54 for the corn and smaller holes or pockets 56 for the salt. Above the magazine are two ducts 58 and 60 Whose lower extremities are adapted to register with a pair of the holes as shown; although not illustrated in theY drawings, it will be understood that duck 58 communicates at its upper end with a hopper containing a supply of salt while duct 60 issimilarly connected to a hopper containing the supply of rawfcorn, whereby the pockets irnmediately below the` ducts always are kept full of j salt and corn respectively.

As the magazine is turned in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1) about its central kpivot pin 59, the large holes 54 are brought, one after another, into register with chute 46 sothat each in turn looses its charge of corn through the chute into 4 the popping chamber of the machine. In the same fashion the salt is discharged from the smaller holes 56 as they pass over duct 62. The latter duct communicates with chute 56, it being apparent that each charge of corn entering the popper is accompanied by a charge of salt. Also it will be clear that as one pair of holes in the magazine lose their contents in this fashion, the diametrically opposite pair are lled from supply ducts 58 and 60.

Rotation of the magazine is effected by spring pawls 64 on the cover I2, which engage radially projecting lugs or dogs 6B on the magazine. It is thought that the mode of operation of the machine will be evident from the foregoing description. Assuming that cover I2, driven by a source vof power connected to the lower end of shaft 24,

is rotating slowly in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, each pawl 64 in turn engages one of the dogs 66 and advances the magazine through 90. Preferably there are as many pawls around cover I2 as there are partitions 26 inside the cover, the pawls being so disposed in relation to the partitions as to cause a rcharge of raw corn and salt to be delivered between each pair of partitions passing chute 4S. Uniform measured charges thus are introduced into the popper at intervals in timed relationship to the advance of the partitions'.

As previous described, the raw corn is immediately introduced into the oil in the popping well, thereupon being heated so that it pops as it travels yalong the pan I6, and finally is dumped through the aperture 5E) into a receiving vessel therebelow. In other words, as the cover turns, raw 'corn is introduced almost continuously at 46 and popped corn issues almost continuously at 56. The proper amount of salt always is added with the corn, and the proper amount of oil or liquid seasoning always is maintained in the popping zone by means of supply line d2 and float valve 43. i

`The rate at which cover I2 turns must, of course, be so correlatedwith the heat supplied to the bottom of the pan by the electrical resistance elements 38 that the time of travel of the Acorn from inlet 46 to outlet 5l] insures complete popping of the kernels without burning. Either the heat or the speed of the shaft 24, or both, may be made variable in known fashion in order to adjust the machine to the varying `popping characteristics of different kinds of corn, it being understood that when the'machine has been set to obtain optimum resultsl with a given lot of raw corn the setting is not thereafter changed.

Referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that each of the spring pawls 64 may be pivoted about its securing pin 6B to assume an upright position, shown dotted. Thus turned, the pawls will clear lugs 66 and accordingly will not advance the magazine 52. This feature is of utility in the event that the full capacity of the machine is not needed to supply the demand for popped corn. VFor example, by turning up alternate onesof the pawls, the magazine will be caused to introduce raw corn not between every pair of partitions but only between alternate pairs; although the cover continues to rotate at the optimum speed for most satisfactory-popping, the corn then will befdelivered at half the rate at which it would be delivered if all the pawls remained in operative position. Assuming that the machine has eighteen partitions, it can, by selective adjustment of the .pawls 64, be madeto deliver through aperture 50 eighteen charges of popped cor-n per revolution, or any '-'lesser number of charges down to one-'per revolution; and whether the machine is used at fullcapacityvor at Jonly part capacity, the corn delivered will be popped in a predetermined uniformmanner.

From the foregoing .it will be seenthat Athis invention is one well adapted to attain all of 'the ends and objects -hereinbefore set forth together with other advantages which are obvious 'and which are inherent to the apparatus.

vIt wil-l'be understood that certain .features `and subcombinations are `0i utility and may be employed without reference yto 'other features and 'subcombinations This `is contemplated by and is Vwithin the scopevof the appended claims.

I-nasrnuch as `various e'mbodin-ients-o'f the r'invention may be made without departing 'from the scope thereof, it is to be understood thatall matter herein set forth or shown vin the'acco'mpany'ing drawings is t-o vbe interpreted as illustrative and not in alimited sense.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In 'a Icorn popping machine, an annular 'trough having an aperture ata particular point in its bottom, a lid covering the open top of the trough, means advancing the l-d in a circular path relative the trough while maintaining the lid in trough-covering4 position, an inlet through which raw corn is introduced into the trough, downwardly extending vanes' on the lid adapted vto engage the corn land advance same relative the bottom of the trough toward said aperture, and means for applying heat to the 'corn Yduring at least a par-t of its travel to said aperture 'from Vsaid inlet whereby the corn is popped when it reaches the aperture.

`2. A machine as in claim 1 .including Ia container for the raw corn, a dispenser associated with the container to dispense the corn apredetermined amount at a 'time into said inlet, and means for actuating said dispenser periodically in timed relationship -to the advance of lthe lid relative said trough.

`3. A machine as in claim 2 vwherein said dispenser has means' for dispensing -apredetermined amount oi seasoning into said inlet with each charge of corn.

4. A machine as in claim 1 wherein'the bottom `of said trough has corrugations running parallel to the'side'wallslo the trough.

r5. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the bottom 'of' said trough is on different levels,`-the lower level comprising a well through which the corn travels on route to said aperture from said inlet,

and means for maintaininga bed of liquid seasoning in said well.

v6. A machine as in claim l wherein the bottom of said trough is on diierent levels, the lower ylevel comprising a well through which the corn travels on route to said aperture from said inlet, a source of liquid seasoning connected to 'the well, and a float valve ycontrolling the flow of seasoning from said 'source to said well to m-aintain'seasoning in thewell ata predetermined depth at all times.

'7.'In a corn popping machine, atro'ugh adapted to receive liquid seasoning, the bottom of the trough at one end being inclined upwardly so it emergesAv from the seasoning and terminates at a level above the surface ofthe-seasoning, a series 'ofvertical partitions subdividing the trough along its length, theA lower Iedge of each partition being, spaced above the bottomr of the trough, carriage means for supporting they partitions and advancing them in a xedfhorizontal path alongvthe trough, each .said parti'tion` -having siidabiy mounted thereon lilofr vertical movement an extensi'on partition whose lower edge travels along the bottom of the trough as said carriage 'mean's advances the partitions, ymeans for introducing theraw corn` into Asaid trough ata .point 'remote from `said one end, whereby it is propelled by .said partitions and extensions along the trough 'toward-said .one 'end and then upsaid inclined bottom, and means for applying heat 'to the cornfas it' advancesthereby to 'pop' same'.

8. `lllfmachirlie 'as lin claim 7 wherein each said partition has hinged to its flower' edge .a downwar-diy :and lrear'vvarciyinclined gate "whose :trailing yedge drags along the bottom of the trough 'as' the partition advances.

9. A machine fas rin 'claim'7 wherein said partition extensions are upright perfor-ate plates.

'10. A machine as in claim '7 wherein the bottom 'o-f the trough 4has corrugations paralleling the side wall ci the trough, .said corrugations beginning-at a point under the surit'ace of .the seasoning, continuing up the inclined portion .or the bottom and ending above the level of said-surface.

'11. in a )corn popping machine, a trough adapted to receive .liquid seasoning, the 'bottom of the trough at one end being inclined upwardly soit emerges from the seasoning and .terminates aioove the surface of the seasoning, an. endless series of vanes, 'mechanism `for advancing the varies one after another axially ofthe trough toward said one end thereof while'maintaining 'ea'ch vane-upright withit's lower edge .moving along the bottom of vthe trough, each 'vane having `'a kclownwardly and rearwardly incline'dgate whose/trailing edge travels along the bottom of the trough a short distanceA ahead of the next succeeding vane of the series.

12. A machine as in claim .111 wherein all of saidV vanos and gates are perfora'te plates.

l13. In a corn popping machine, a trough adapted to receive liquid seasoning, the bottom ofthe trough at one end being inclined upwardly so it emerges from the seasoning :andv terminates above the surface 'of the seasoning, and endless series fof vanes, mechanism for advancing the vanos-one after another axially of the trough towardsaid one end thereof whilemaintaining each vane upright with its lower edge moving along the bottom of the trough, an inlet for raw corn at a lpoint 'remote from said one Iend of the trough, a dispenser intermittently actuated by said mechanism and effective upon each actuation to ir'it'ro'du'ce a charge of raw corn into the trough through said' inlet, and means for varying the frequency of actuation of said dispenser relative the speed of said 'vane advancing mechanism whereby said dispenser' at ktimes introduces a charge of `'raw corn between each pair of vanes passing said inlet and at other ltimes introduces a charge only between selected 'pairs of said varies 14. In a corn popping machine, 'a trough adapted to receive liquid seasoning, the bottom of 'the trough at 'one end'being inclined 'upwardly so it emerges .from the seasoning and terminates above 'the surface of the seasoning, an endless series of vanos, mechanism for advancing the vanes' one after another axially of the trough to-- ward said one' .end thereof while maintainingeaeh vaneupright with its lower edge moving along the bottom lof the trough, an inlet Ifor raw corn atea point remote fromV said 'one yend of the trough, selectively operable devices for marking any desired ones of said vanes, and means controlled by said devices 'for 'introducing a" chargent raw ing -a yplurality of transverse-partitions positionedv at longitudinally spaced intervals along the passageway and subdividing same along its length into a series of compartments, mechanism driving said conveyormeans to advance s-aid Vcompartments past said inlet and along said passageway in continuous succession, selectively operable devices for marking any desired ones of sa'idcorn-v partments, and means controlled by said devices to introduce a charge of raw fcorn into said passageway .through said inlet as each marked compartment passes said inlet.

16. In a corn popping machine, a housing forming an elongated passageway, said passageway having an inlet for raw corn, conveyor means in said passageway subdividing same along its length into aseries of compartments, mechanism driving said conveyor means to advance said -compartmentspast said inlet and along said passageway said inlet and other times introduces a charge only intoY certain selected ones of said compartments.

17. Acorn-popping machine as in claim 16 having auxiliary dispenser means synchronized with said raw vcorn dispenser' to operate at the same frequency, said last means effective upon each operation to introduce a charge of salt int'o said passageway.

118. In a corn popping machine, av trough, means .I

for heating the bottom of the trough, partition means subdividing the trough along its length into a series of compartments, the bottom of the troughforming the bottom of each compartment,

and each compartment having downwardly converging walls whereby 'itshorizontal cross-sectional' areais smaller at the bottom .than at the top, means .for advancing said partition means lengthwise of said trough, `and means for introducing -raw corn into said compartments yas they passa particular point in the trough whereby the corn is popped as they adv-ance; l

19. A corn popping machine as in claim 18 adapted to contain a'shallow bed of liquid seasoning in said trough and wherein the bottom of the trough is corrugated.

20. In a corn popping machine, a trough adapted to receive liquid seasoning, means for heating the bottom :of the trough,rmeans for introducing raw corn into the trough and advancing same along the trough whereby it is popped as it progresses, the floor of the trough supporting the corn being corrugated, the corrugations substantially paralleling the direction of travel of the corn and the valleys between the crests of Y said corrugations being too small topermit any substantial part oi a popped kernel from extending below the. crestsof the c'orrugations, and the crests of the corrugations .being inclined upward-` ly inthe direction 'of movement of lthe corn so they emerge from the seasoning and terminate' above the Nsurface thereof. Y

21. A machine as in claim 20 wherein the vertical depth of the corrugations increases in the direction of movement of the corn.

22. In a corn popping machine, a generally horizontal Vannular trough having a bottom and concentric inner and outer side walls, a rotor turning about a vertical axis concentric with said side walls, aV plurality of circumerentially spaced upright partitions in said trough subdividingzsame into Va series of compartments of substantially uniform size, said partitions carried on said rotor whereby they advance in arcircular path along saidtrough, the trough having a iixed inlet past which each partition in turn travels as the rotor turns, and a vfixed outlet past which each partition travels after it has advanced a predetermined distance beyond said inlet, a dispenser operable to introduce raw corn into said trough through said inlet, mechanism controlled by said rotor for actuating said dispenser intermittently, said mechanism including means for varying the frequency of actuation of said dispenser relative to the speed of the rotor whereby said dispenser at times introduces a charge of raw corn between each pairof partitions passing said `inlet and at n other times introduces a charge only between selected pairs ofsfsaid partitions, and means for applying heat to said corn as it is propelled along the trough from sa-id inlet to said outlet by the partitions. f g l 23. A corn popping machine as in lclaim 22 wherein said inlet and outlet are positioned close together in such relationship that each partition reaches the inlet substantially immediately after passing said outlet, whereby the corn entering the trough through said inlet travels along the trough nearly 360 before reaching said outlet.

.24. A corn poppingY machineV as in claim 22 wherein vthe bottom of said trough has a -depressed section intermediate said inlet and said outlet forming a well for receiving liquid seasoning, said partitions being verticallyV movable on said rotor whereby their lower edges ride along the bottom of the well as -they travel through th-e trough, said well terminating short of said outlet and -the bottom thereof at said terminus being inclined upwardly in the direction of movement of the partitions so it emerges from the seasoning. 25. In a corn popping ma'chine, a stationary generally horizontal annular trough having ajbottom and concentric innerrand louter side walls, a rotor turning about a vertical axis concentric with said side walls, a plurality of circumferentially spaced upright partitions in said though subdividing same into a series of compartments of substantially uniform size, said partitions being carried by andvertically movable on said rotor whereby they advance in a circular path along said trough with their lower edges riding along .the bottom of the trough as they advance, said bottom being at different levels two regionsv of the trough through which the partitions pass successively and sloping upwardly in thedirection of movement of the partitions from the lower level to the higherrlevel whereby the partitions ride up said slope in advancing along said trough, the bottom of the trough at said lower level forming with the walls of the trougha well adapted to receive liquid season-ing, means for maintaining the level of the seasoning in said well 9. at the' point Where said parti-tionsenter' said w-ell whereby the corn .is propelled by the partitions through said Well and up said slope into the portion of the trough having its bottom at said higher level, said last portion o'f the trough having a discharge opening through which the corn is adapted to drop from the trough, and means for `applying heat to said corn as it advances through said Well and up said slope.

HAROLD R. CRANK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Moores Nov. 2'8, 1911 Jacobs June 1, 1920 Beier Oct. 10, 1922 Carpenter Feb. 18, 1930 Leweke Dec. 13, 1932 Ruch Dec. 12, 1933 De Fazi Feb. 14, 1939 Scharseh May 18, 1943 

